chapter 0

"You want to believe that there's one relationship in life that's beyond betrayal. A relationship that's beyond that kind of hurt. And there isn't". By Caleb Carr

It was one of those rare days where it was raining whilst the sun was out and shining brightly, the atmosphere was a little weird with the cool rain and pouring own and the sun shining through the gray clouds, a tall man dressed in black alongside tall black women dressed sharply in a windbreaker with the words security on the back and black jeans and a green hoodie carrying a cardboard box filled with odds things such as pictures files plant stapler a laptop mouse a Bluetooth speaker pen holder, a cup among other things was standing by the street corner at the entrance of the parking complex.

"Well, David this is as far as I go," the black woman said in a very heavy voice handing the card box to the tall black dressed man called David,

"Thanks, Raq, but you do realize that I was of the company property when we came on to the streets and left the building, yeah," David said as took the heavy box from the women as took over the box he realized how heavy the box was and he instantly regretted his earlier comment to the women but he was too embarrassed to apologies.

The women smirked at him when she saw him struggle with the box "yeah know arsehole, a got three reasons for dumbarse number one that box looked way too heavy for you to carry it from the office e building to the parking space, number two I wanted to make sure you were alright or not and number 3 mark wanted to invite you to dinner tonight",

David was embarrassed by the reasons given to him he was by no way a strong man, even though he was tall by any standard at 6'3 even though he was half Chinese with a relatively short mother who barely reached 5 foot but he was father was a giant at 6'8, David smiled at the memory of the old man who always looked proud and happy, he remembered seeing him dancing at his wedding, for the umpteenth time today, David wished he was here and then instantly thanked that he died 4 years ago, before he could his only son at his worst state of being, with a flood of problem crashing into his former peaceful life, well it was Technically only one problem it was one of those disastrous situations where it came life tsunami and drowned everything.

"Why do you park here instead of in the street or at the office parking lot" David's daydreaming was interrupted by the voice of the woman, who somehow took out a cigarette without him noticing, it had been 4 months since he quit his 24-year-old habit, trying to ignore the craving he answered in a sassy voice

"I like to walk," he said

at this the women "Bullshit, we both know you hate to work be it mental or physical"

he laughed at this comment "you got me there Raquel, you know me so well" at this they burst out laughing

" Okay smart ass, are you coming to dinner not"

"a Raq, you know me if a could I would but I can't so you know" he shrugged sheepishly thinking of his half-brother Mark and his wife of 8 years who was standing Infront of him,

his life was messy, to say the least, a mother who had left when he was 7 years old a father who decided to remarry when he was 16, a half-brother who had no blood connection to him an ex-wife where the only people he had any connection and one by one they were all disappearing, seeing that David had again gone into daydreaming Raquel snapped her fingers in front of his face startling him Causing him to step back and losing his balance and to fall on his ass, Raquel once again burst into Laughter seeing him sitting there in a daze, seeing Raquel laughing so brazenly David felt a little angry but he pushed it down he couldn't get angry her for his mistake, he started to get up with the heavy box in his lap which miraculously did not slip from his hands and did not spill all over the ground, seeing him struggling to get Raquel got up and rushed to help him with the help of Raquel he finally was on his feet

"well, I should be going Raq see you later," David said with the monotone voice he had come to use when he was suppressing his anger, and started to move toward the parking complex

"hey will you come tonight" Raquel stooped him and asked

"I'M LEAVING FOR QUEBEC for Pops's old place to spend the winter Raq you know that," he said his voice still that monotone.

Raquel also notice this change she had known David long enough that when he goes into his monotone voice its best to leave him alone,

she moved out of his voice with a smile on her face and her hands in the air in mock surrender

"mark will be disappointed David that's all"

David looked at her and asked "junior or senior" in the same monotone voice,

Raquel laughed and looked at him in amusement

"senior, dum-dum junior is 2 years old he can't be disappointed as of yet if his uncle didn't come," she said

David smiled at that his mood got a lot better thinking of his nephew

"then I can risk it Raq, sorry but I have a plan if mark wants to meet tell him to get his ass to dad's old place," he said

" I will bye-bye David" Raquel smirked and said

doing did a little mock curtsy and she turned and left. David was left staring at the disappearing back of Raquel he was alone standing at the front of the dark parking complex

David sighed as he remembered the past few days with his divorce finalized just a week ago, he lost nearly everything his house his job which he was surprised to find that his ex Father-in-law did not even wait a month much less 3 before he let him go, he felt tiered as he went through the events of the past year, he remembered Susan his ex-wife who he had thought he loved very much until everything came tumbling down till started last year in November when he first noticed the changes in his wife first was complete disinterest in his life granted that was nothing new, then he conveniently forgot her birthday which was a very powerful trigger warning as she would usually get very angry at this hoping that she would throw a huge tantrum, but his dreams were shattered when he found her not carrying at all he started to notice her every move she had become completely disinterested in the house in my life in our dog and then one day she came home one day with a hickey without hiding it out in the open where every one could see her pride and joy.

David shuddered as he remembered the conversation that happen that day they were sitting at the dinner table as she was engrossed in her phone and David was watching as she fiddled with her phone and smiled from time to time

"Who are you talking to," he asked

"No one" she answered chirpily

"Must be someone, if you are so happy" David asked in his angry monotone

"Oh, it's just Gabe, you remember him he was our supervisor when we both were at the company," she said still in that happy mood

"Gabe" "the same Gabe who had me fired over the misplaced data sheet" David was getting angrier he didn't understand how somebody could be so ignorant

" YES, so you do remember him, he and I are working together on a project " she replied putting down her phone and smiling brightly at him.

David was holding a wine cup a habit he had developed over the years to always have glass in his hand so that he could drink from it and then think of his answer to whatever was being asked at the time, but this time it was a very bad thing as the anger got better of him he subconsciously started to crush the wine glass and when he saw the bright smile.

and when the glass exploded it startled everyone including David himself

" what the fuck" Susan shouted

"Sorry," David said as a reflex

"what the fuck, what is wrong with you " Susan shouted at him

"well, it's nothing much that just my wife has a hickey, and we haven't had sex in 3 months now Love, " David said in his monotone voice

She Froze at that, David smiled at her it was a false smile anyone could have told that it was the most forced smile anyone has seen.

"well dear, pray tell how that got there when your own husband hasn't touched your body in 3 months," David asked his voice still monotone

"This is not what you think it is" Susan sturred

"yes, I think it is"

without waiting for her answer he got up and went to the bathroom to mend his bleeding hand, looking at his right scared standing in front of the parking he suddenly slapped himself.